Courtroom Chaos
by Inks Inc
Summary: Mike throws a fit in court, Harvey is far from happy. Mike thinks he knows what's in store for him, but does Harvey have other ideas? Warning :Spanking
1. Chapter 1

Mike Ross clutched a slip of paper so tightly in his hand; it was becoming damp from the nervous clamminess spreading through his palms. Looking down at it, he grimaced as the edges of the pink citation slip protruded offensively through his tight fist. He'd been fined one thousand dollars for contempt of court. He readily conceded that he had never deserved a fine more in his life, seeing as he had spectacularly lost his temper with his snide opposing counsel, in simply outrageous style. Which was exactly what the smarmy lawyer had intended. He had no case, and his only hope of buying himself time to make one, was to cultivate and execute the groundwork for a lengthy continuance. _One counsellor using foul language to verbally abuse the other, ignoring a fuming judge in the process, and only being quietened through the quick reflexes of the court bailiff, was a sure fire way to get one_ thought Mike grimly. He closed his eyes in the back of the yellow cab he had hailed in a daze, and marvelled at his own stupidity.

Thinking back in embarrassed anguish to the mother of all dressing downs the infuriated trial judge had given him in chambers, Mike squeezed his eyes tighter shut. Things had been going horribly enough when the justice had handed him a thousand dollar citation, but they had quickly escalated from horrible to cataclysmic when the snarling judge had ordered him to return the citation with payment within three working days, _along with the signature of his supervising partner_.That meant Harvey. The vein throbbing, temple pulsing judge had specifically informed him that he knew damn well who his supervising partner was, and had written a scathing adage on Mike's citation professing his disappointment in Harvey for letting his subordinate _"run riot without restraint and splattering insolence on the history and ethos of his courtroom with schoolyard hooliganism."_

It transpired, in traditional Murphy's Law style, that the mortally offended judge was a former professor of Harvard Law, a favourite professor of one smart assed Harvey Specter in his student days. This professor turned justice kept in contact with Harvey and had watched from afar as Jessica Pearson had cultivated him and then in turn, watched as Harvey began to nurture the talent that was Michael Ross. The irate judge had secretly chuckled to himself as a petrified Mike had stumbled from his office after he'd finished giving him the roasting he richly deserved.

He knew that Harvey was going to kill the kid, little did Harvey realise how exactly similar his little protégée was to his hot headed self. Sighing to himself, the now slightly mollified judge began to wonder if he'd been too hard on the mouthy young attorney, his opposing counsel really had been a piece of work in all fairness. Contenting himself with the thought that with all the grief Harvey had given him as a student, his karma was in the form of the grey hairs he'd develop in dealing with that little genius of his.

Mike, in assessing his appalling situation for what felt like the millionth time, let out on audible groan to the growing alarm of the cab driver who clearly by his quickened pace, believed Mike to be either dangerous or ill, and therefore not a good category of passenger. Fifteen minutes later, the cab was parked outside the impressive home of Pearson-Hardman, and an ashen faced Mike paid the driver and forced his legs to make the necessary movements to propel him into the building he wished with all his might to a run a thousand miles from.

Deciding that he simply couldn't bring himself to face Harvey straight away, Mike headed in the direction of his bull pen desk and far away from his mentors office. Slumping in his chair, he stared unseeingly at the mountain of proof reading that a wounded Louis Litt had pushed on him for failing to wish his cat Bruno, a happy birthday when prompted. Jerking himself out of his reverie, Mike decided sensibly that he needed to work to take his mind of his impending doom. Setting about the dull task of correcting the many grammatical anomalies of his co-associates, Mike was soon lost in a haze of briefings and motions.

Some hours later, he looked up in surprise to see that the bull pen had basically cleared, save for a few stragglers. Glancing at his wristwatch Mike saw that it was gone nine, and as nothing major was on the books, Harvey was most likely gone home. Feeling ashamed at his cowardly relief in the face of this fact, Mike stood and began to gather his belongings to head home himself. He would think about the best way to broach the fiasco of his court appearance with Harvey tomorrow, and buy himself a few more hours of…well, of _breathing_ in the process.

Mike ducked past Harvey's office tentatively, as there was essentially no other exit point. Unless he went through the alarm activated fire door, which he had seriously considered before coming to the conclusion that he was in more than enough trouble without adding to it. Glancing through the glass walls his thoughts were confirmed, the older man was indeed gone for the night. Feeling a mixture of relief and regretful shame that he hadn't just gotten in over with as he knew he should, he boarded the elevator and began the journey home.

He didn't sleep well that night, he tossed and turned relentlessly. The major drawback of a brilliant mind is that it was _always_ brilliant and couldn't be dimmed to force out unpleasant truths. Waking up after about a cumulative total of four hours sleep, Mike dragged himself into the shower. Half an hour later he was on his bike and on his way to work. Chaining his trusted transport securely to his usual spot, Mike headed into the Pearson-Hardman building determined to face the music and get it over with, so he could stop feeling so _miserable._

Making his way quickly to his boss's office, Mike saw that the older man was already seated at his desk and working. Donna was mercifully off on a shopping spree in aid of secretaries' day. Drawing a deep steadying breath, Mike strode into Harvey's office. Sensing Mike's presence, Harvey looked up and broke into a grin. He was in a particularly great mood after seeing Scottie last night, she was in town on an unrelated trip and they had been hooking up every other night, making for one very happy and genial Harvey Specter.

"Mike", he said happily "just the man, I could do with your help prepping for this deposition. I don't think they're here to settle, I think it's to suss out our bottom line, can't let that happen, any bright ideas rattling around that Sheldon Copper-esque little head of yours?" he asked good humouredly. When Mike failed to answer immediately, Harvey took a closer look at the younger man and knew immediately something was up. Something was _really_ up. "Mike, what is it?" he asked anxiously. He'd never in a million years let anyone know it, but he really...well, he really _cared_ for this kid, as maddening as he could be at times.

Unable to bring himself to speak, Mike merely handed Harvey the now well worn court citation he had received, the judges handwritten words as to Mike's extreme impertinence seemed to jump out alarmingly against the pink paper it was written on. He watched in intense trepidation as Harvey's facial expressions changed intermittently and alarmingly, from shock to rage and back to shock again as he read and reread the message the judge had written.

Harvey didn't speak immediately, and Mike knew better than to try and broach any conversation, let alone offer any attempts at an excusatory explanation. When Harvey did speak, several minutes had passed and Mike's eyes had seemed to burn a hole in the floor he was resolutely staring at. "Mike," the older man began in a tone Mike couldn't recognise. Mike looked up from his source of apparent amazement on the office carpet, but Harvey didn't continue. Beginning to feel even more alarmed, Mike stared at Harvey in apprehension. He knew Harvey would be furious, but he didn't think he could physically be so furious as to have effectively lost the art of speech.

Mike watched as Harvey took a deep breath.

"Mike, I'm going to ask you a question and I want you to answer me with the absolute truth. No equivocations, no playing on words, just the simple truth, ok?"

Mike nodded his head immediately, disarmed and confused at the calm and gentle tone his boss was using with him.

He watched as Harvey took another significant breath, growing increasingly anxious.

"Mike…are you afraid of me?" Harvey asked seriously, looking his associate straight in the eye.

Mike gaped at the older man, but quickly recovered. "No Harvey" he blurted out in blunt response.

Holding the citation up in front of the younger man, Harvey continued "Mike, this was issued yesterday. It was issued yesterday morning. You were in this building for nine hours after it was issued, and I was in this building for eight hours after it was issued, and you didn't come to me. I can only assume the reason for that fact, is that you're afraid of me. If that's the case Mike, I'm truly sorry. I never, _ever_ meant for you to grow to fear me" Harvey finished, misery etched on his handsome face as he surveyed the young lawyer before him.

With a gut wrenching pang of realisation, Mike identified the tone of voice Harvey was using. _It was sad_. Harvey was _sad_ because he thought he was afraid of him. Mike hung his head in total shame and regret. Taking a second to compose himself, he ripped his gaze up from the floor once again and made direct eye contact with the man who had done so much for him.

"Harvey. I am _not_ afraid of you. I truly am not. The reason….well, the reason I didn't come to yesterday was because I was afraid of getting in _trouble_. Not of _you_. I knew I had really screwed up and I just wanted to avoid it. I purposely avoided you for the day because I knew how angry you'd be with me and how angry you should be with me and I dealt with it like a child. I'm so sorry."

With that, Mike couldn't bring himself to look at Harvey anymore and resumed his passionate observation of Harvey's expensive carpet instead. Harvey for his part was dealing with the turmoil that came from rapidly changing emotions. The deep seated and all consuming sadness he had felt at believing that the younger man feared him, had given way to relief. Staggering relief. He believed Mike when he said he wasn't afraid of him. Mike may be brilliant, but he couldn't lie very well. Not to Harvey anyway.

The relief had flooded through the older man's body however had begun to give way to a seething anger. A rising anger. An anger that was borne of two parts. Part one being Mike's disgraceful conduct in a court of law. In a court of law presided over by a personal friend of Harvey's, a man who Harvey actually looked up to. Of which, there were precious few in the earthly world.

Part two was Mikes' deliberate deception. The fact that Mike had essentially lied to him, even by omission stung. Their close bond was founded on trust, and Mike had never until this point failed to come clean immediately about any of his screw ups. Harvey gritted his teeth and resolved that this was the first and last time that Mike would ever commit this particular transgression. Taking a deep breath, Harvey strove to be self aware enough to determine whether he could be fair at this present time in devising and delivering a fitting punishment for his "seriously in for it" associate. Sighing, he realised he couldn't. He was still positively fuming with the younger man. He had royally messed up this time and the repercussions of such had to be sufficiently unpleasant, but first and foremost they had to be fair.

Standing up abruptly, and jerking Mike out of his carpet induced trance in the process, Harvey strode to the nearby filing cabinet, and grabbed the first four, very bulky files that he could find. Marching over to his repentant headache of a protégée, he thrust the files in his arms. "Go straight to your desk and work through these. They need to be condensed and fully annotated for the bi-quarterly audit. I need time to calm down before I can even begin to deal with dealing with you. You will come straight back here when you're finished. It should take a couple of hours, whether or not that is a sufficient time window for me to be even moderately less inclined to wring your god damned neck, I have absolutely no idea. Now, get out of my sight while you still can."

The young lawyer obediently and quietly turned on his heel and left in the general direction of his desk, looking every bit the wounded puppy. Sighing, Harvey sank in his chair and wondered how he managed to somehow grow to feel so personally responsible for that maddening kid. He was getting soft in his old age he concluded grimly.

Mike for his part scuttled guiltily along the halls of Pearson-Hardman, before reaching and collapsing into his own desk. Throwing the thick files on the cluttered surface top, Mike dropped his head down on them in a makeshift pillow and groaned. He'd known that his conversation with Harvey wasn't going to be a pleasant experience, but he had never expected Harvey to think the reason he hadn't owned up was because he feared him. Running his hands through his hair in frustration, Mike silently cursed himself. He had taken a situation that seemed like it couldn't be made worse, made it worse and for once his razor sharp mind was failing him. There was no remedy he could think of to mollify Harvey even a fraction. Sighing in defeat, Mike removed his head from his paper pillow and opened the first file and set to work.

Some hours later, his pen scrawled across paper and made the final adjustments to the fourth file and wearily closed it shut. Glancing at his phone, he saw he'd been working for just over six hours. Closing his eyes he grimaced. The technical and complex reports had taken his mind of his situation somewhat, but it came back tenfold on their completion. Standing, Mike decided not to draw out Harvey's anger anymore and scooped the thick paper bundles into his arms and made his way back to his mentors' office. Glancing into the impressive glass panelled room, Mike saw that Harvey was seated at his desk, looking deep in concentration. Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the door and walked into the lion's den.

When Harvey didn't look up on his arrival, Mike said quietly "I'm finished Harvey" and placed the stack on his cluttered desktop. When Harvey still failed to answer or acknowledge his presence in any way, Mike instinctively stepped back and stood staring quietly at the floor. This was a sign that Harvey was truly furious, and he knew better than to try to expedite conversation from the older man. True to enraged form, Harvey kept his reprobate associate waiting for a considerable period of time, before setting his pen down and looking up. Seeing that Mike had backed considerably away from him, he pointed to the chair in front of his desk. "Hot seat, now" he commanded in a calm, firm voice.

Mike quickly followed this direction and looked nervously at his imposing boss.

"Michael. I want a full, frank and honest explanation of what caused your outrageous behaviour today young man, and I want it now" Harvey instructed fixing the squirming kid with the sternest of stern glares. Wincing at the use of his full name, Mike licked his lips and cast around his head for the appropriate words.

Taking a steadying gulp of air he blurted out, "I let Davidson get to me. It was an obvious trap, and I fell into headlong it. He goaded me about how he never knew me in Harvard and how I must have been a nobody, like I am now. He said it all under his breath so no one could hear. Then I had nearly all of his objections sustained against me. Then he managed to get evidence admitted that should have been inadmissible, all the while smirking at me. I lost my cool and snapped at him under my breath, but the microphone caught what I said and the judge heard. I thought it was off. I got reamed in front of a crowded court for inappropriate and childish conduct, and Davidson laughed at me under his breath, all the while looking the picture of innocence and I…well, I just lost it Harvey. I'm really sorry; I don't know what I was thinking."

Harvey stared at the younger man. Stared at him in disbelief.

"Michael James Ross. Do you really mean to sit there and tell me, that the reason you used foul language in a court of law, disregarded both a judges' instructions and _presence_ and dragged the reputation of Pearson-Hardman through the mud is because some generic opposing counsel _taunted_ you?"

Mike, casting his eyes downwards once again merely nodded glumly in the affirmative.

"Eyes on me this instant."

Mike reluctantly drew his gaze level with Harvey's and cringed when he saw the obvious anger and disappointment on the older man's face. Harvey lost no time launching into the tongue lashing Mike had earned himself.

"I cannot believe you. After everything I have done for you Michael and this is the way you behave when I let you out into the world without a babysitter. Your position is always to be protected. Drawing the attention of the bloody judiciary, for throwing a tantrum, is not the way to do it. I've been chewed out by Jessica for this already, the legal community talks Michael and you damn well know it. You're lucky I've assured her that you're going to sufficiently dealt with by me or else _she'd_ be in here, and if you think I'm mad you've no idea what it is to get that woman as angry as she is."

"When you are in court, or in a meeting or any god damned place for that matter, you are a direct reflection on _me_. You do not throw your toys out of the pram in this manner. Judge Conway is a personal friend of mine and now because of your disgraceful behaviour I have to ring him later and apologise both on your behalf, and on my own behalf due to my apparent _lack of basic supervisory control over my subordinates._ Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Harvey growled holding the now well worn citation up once again, having fished it out of his desk to refresh himself on Judge Conway's opinion on his managerial skills.

Mike looked at Harvey guiltily and shook his head in the negative.

"Didn't think so" said Harvey grimly. "Would you like to hear what this little jaunt into hooliganism has earned you Michael?" the angry man continued in dangerous voice. "Or will you verbally abuse me as well as this Davidson person?"

When Mike didn't answer, Harvey thundered on "well? I've asked you a question, I expect an answer. Should I be worried for my own sake about a Michael Ross tantrum?"

Swallowing hard, Mike shook his head slightly, "No, of course not Harvey."

"I'm so glad" the angry man said sarcastically. "Now, for the _firm approved portion_ of your punishment Michael, you need to use that memory of yours to get this firmly into your head. You young man, are no longer permitted to argue in court. _Any_ court. Not even housing court, indefinitely. Its paperwork and prep work for you from now on, is that clear?"

Mike looked at Harvey in despair, and nodded miserably. As much as he knew he deserved to be severely punished, "paperwork and prep work" was a Pearson-Hardman traditional method of torture. It meant that the court banished employee was only permitted to work on a back log of case transcriptions, motion and brief writing and completed case synopsises. It meant being chained to ones desk and long, tedium filled hours.

Harvey had once or twice used it to illuminate to Mike the error of his ways, but it had usually only been for a couple of days and the mentor would soften and take Mike back out of the doghouse. This time Mike knew he was in for the long haul, as "indefinitely" was a particularly harsh form of the firm patented punishment. The only thing that sustained offenders throughout a paperwork and prep work sentence was a release date, which Harvey well knew and had clearly decided to deny Mike.

"Alright then Michael, I think we need to move this conversation into a more private setting" Harvey said standing up abruptly and gesturing to the door that Mike detested so much. Biting his lip to keep from whining, Mike obediently stood up and made his way through the door that led to the abandoned secretarial office that branched off of Harvey's office. This room hadn't been used by a secretary in many years, but it had become the room that saw Harvey teaching his protégée certain lessons that couldn't be taught in the open plan nature of his own office. The window devoid room was equipped with curiously thick walls that mercifully prevented anyone from ever hearing the sound of Harvey's paddle against Mike's backside, and the yelping that came with it.

Mike opened the door and stepped inside, Harvey close behind him. As the lights illuminated the room, Michael habitually tried to make his way towards the desk in the far of the room, and was surprised when Harvey grabbed him not unkindly by the upper arm and prevented him. Usually as Mike would take off his jacket and bend over the table, Harvey would fish through the one filing cabinet that remained for the paddle that, when not being used to bring Mike to his senses, resided there.

Looking into the confused face of his associate, Harvey's anger started to fade somewhat. He was still a rookie after all. His intelligence often resulted in him being held to a much higher standard than his peers, and masked the fact that he was still just a kid.

"Mike", Harvey said in a much gentler tone, "I'm not going to paddle you."

Mike visibly relaxed at Harvey's resumed use of his shortened name rather than Michael, but felt all the more confused. _If he's not going to tan my ass, why did he drag me in here_ he thought to himself. Knowing what was going on inside Mike's head, Harvey sighed. As much as he hated paddling Mike, he knew he was going to hate was he was about to do even more. He had after careful thought, decided it was necessary though and gritted his teeth in resolve, _why do I have to care so much about this kid_ he thought ruefully.

"I'm not going to paddle you Mike" he continued firmly, "because I think your behaviour today calls for a more _let the punishment fit the crime_ approach. In other words, because you behaved like a child today and threw a four year olds tantrum, for the first time I'm going to treat you like a child. Instead of paddling you, I've therefore decided that in order to best teach you not to act out in childish temper you need a more memorable punishment". Harvey stopped briefly, steadied himself and took a deep breath. "That memorable punishment is in the form of going over my knee for a spanking Mike, and not over the desk for a paddling."

The unexpected pronouncement hung in the air like a dense smog, obscuring Mike's ability to see reason.

"No Harvey" he said flatly once he'd recovered from the shock of Harvey's proposed method of lesson teaching. "You can paddle me, or you can let me the hell out of here, but you are not putting me over your knee like a child, even if I've acted like one. No way."

Expecting this response, Harvey moved closer into Mike's personal space, and looked him square in the eye. To his credit, the kid stared right back. "Mike. Do not fight me on this. You do _not_ get to determine how I punish you. All you get to determine is your behaviour, and your behaviour has landed you here. You have behaved appallingly today. I have never before had cause to be as disappointed in you as I am right now. You've let yourself down and you've let me down. However, if you feel that you can look me in the eye and tell me you truly don't deserve to be punished, then there's the door Mike. I won't hold it against you, there'll be no repercussions. If however you're the man I know you are, you're self aware enough to know exactly how much you deserve to be punished, then you will accept the spanking. Those are your two choices Mike, and they're your only two choices." With that, Harvey moved out of Mike's way leaving him a clear path to the door and gave him time to make his decision.

Mike sighed and shuffled from foot to foot. Harvey had him and he knew it.

"A spanking huh? Fine. At least it'll hurt less" he huffed, making his decision.

Biting back a grin, Harvey nodded and drew out a straight backed chair from the nearby corner and placed it in the middle of the room. Mike watched silently as he unbuttoned the cuff of his right sleeve and rolled it up to his elbow, growing rather alarmed. Harvey sat down on the chair and beckoned Mike to his right hand side. "C'mon Mike, let's get this over with please."

Throwing masculinity to the wind, Mike started bargaining. "Harvey please, I swear I'll never ever do it again. It was a once off, a blip, I promise. There's no need to…there's no need for this."

Harvey raised an eyebrow. "Mike, if I have to come over there and get you I am going to swat you each and every step of the way back here, it's entirely your choice."

Groaning, Mike dragged his feet slowly towards his sitting mentor.

Not wanting to draw the kids misery out any longer than necessary, Harvey reached out and guided the young lawyer over his knee by his arm. Ignoring the under the breath comments his associate was currently hissing out, Harvey wrapped his free arm tightly around his waist. He raised his outside knee so that Mike's currently pain free backside was best positioned to feel the maximum force of the upcoming spanking.

Firming his resolve about what he was about to do, Harvey drew a well muscled arm back in a wide arc and brought his large hand down hard across the upturned backside over his lap. Apart from a slightly sharp intake of breath Mike didn't respond and Harvey set about delivering the spanking in earnest. Harvey's hard hand came down time and time again on Mike's soft bottom and it wasn't long before the young man began squirming. Merely tightening his hold on his wriggling associate, Harvey set about lighting a fire to the soft sit spots and the tops of Mike's thighs. This predictably caused the first strains of whimpering from the young man. Hardening his heart against this, Harvey brought his hand down with full force on the same spot on each cheek repeatedly and expertly.

Mike for his part had forgotten all about the predominant feelings of shame he felt about being upturned over Harvey's knee, all of his focus was now on the rising pain in his backside. His foolish speculation that at least a spanking wouldn't be as bad as a paddling now dismissed. The paddle may leave a dull throb in the rear for a few hours, but at this point Mike would have chosen that over the stinging pain spreading across his ass, marvelling at how a hand could inflict such a heat over a fully clothed bottom. As Harvey reached the tender curve where his thighs and backside met, Mike couldn't help the whimpers that forced their way through his lips. Trying to move his smarting posterior out of the range of fire, he groaned when Harvey put a quick stop to his efforts by tightening his already firm grip on him.

As Harvey brought another volley of well placed swats to a close, he placed a comforting hand on the kids shoulder. "Stand up please Mike."

Mike immediately leaped up and wiped a hand over his damp eyes, his face a mixture of pain and relief. Harvey grimaced when he saw the relief; the kid had another thing coming if he thought his spanking was over. Harvey pointed to the spot on the floor right in front of his seated position, "front and centre" he instructed the partially chastised associate.

Figuring that Harvey wanted to ream him some more, Mike reluctantly moved into the allocated position. "Hands behind your back please Mike, and keep them there" Harvey further instructed. About to argue the point out of confusion, Mike felt the heat in his backside and obediently did as he was told.

Harvey quickly reached out, unzipped the kids' slacks and tugged them down along with his boxers and put Mike back over his knee before he could process what was happening and before he could argue about it. Taking up his firm hold on his waist once again, Harvey quickly resumed Mike's spanking on his now bare and already red backside, effectively drowning out the volley of complaints that had began flowing from the younger man as he found his voice once again.

"Harvey! What the hell! Ow, no!…You can't do this..oww, please" Mike whimpered in outraged protest in response to both Harvey's baring of his backside and the fire he had resumed lighting in it.

"Yes I can Mike, I told you already. I decide how to punish you" Harvey said calmly, not pausing in his rhythm, delivering hard and fast swats on that the upturned bottom, which underneath his relentless hand was now becoming a vivid shade of scarlet. Harvey had hands like leather and was using them to great effect in teaching his wayward associate the error of his ways. Mike began to squirm vigorously and kick his legs in an effort to cover his bottom, even for a moment from the never ending swats that were befalling it. Harvey merely placed two hard swats on the middle of each thigh in response, the sensitive skin instantly turning fiery red. Mike stopped kicking instantly and merely began sobbing quietly, as Harvey raised his outside knee higher and concentrated forceful and smarting swats on his already well spanked sit spots.

Sensing that the spanking was coming to a close and that Mike had nearly had enough, Harvey delivered another hard round of swats to the roasting hot backside. Pausing for just a moment, Harvey let his hand rest on Mike's bottom and gently said "Mike, tell me why you're being spanked please."

Mike took a second to cease crying and Harvey waited patiently. When he did speak, it was in a very small and upset tone and Harvey felt the familiar pang of guilt he always experienced when having to discipline Mike.

"I'm…oww, I'm getting spanked because I lost my…because I lost my temper in court and I let myself down and I let you down" Mike mumbled, his face inches away from the carpet.

Harvey raised his hand high and brought down a particularly searing swat across both cheeks of the well spanked bottom over his lap drawing a strangled yelp from the younger man.

"And?" he prompted firmly.

"Because….because I didn't come to you and own up like I should have. I'm sorry…I'm sorry Harvey."

"Good Mike, that's good. You're doing great" Harvey said kindly. "Just a little more and we're done ok kiddo?"

Looking sadly as the young man nodded his head miserably and resumed crying Harvey reluctantly drew his hand back once more and dished out a final volley of swats. He took care in ensuring an even shade of fiery red covered every inch of Mike's backside. Satisfied that the young man had been as well spanked as possible, Harvey laid down one last swat and immediately began running the small of Mike's back gently.

"It's over now Mike. You took that well, I'm proud of you" he said in a very un-Harvey tone whilst he continued rubbing circles on the kids back. When he was convinced Mike had stopped crying, he carefully pulled his boxers back up over his tender bottom, causing Mike to stiffen and wince. Bringing his trousers back up to their original position, Harvey gently lifted the contrite associate up off his knee and set him carefully on his feet.

Wanting with all his might to pull Mike in for a tight hug as he usually did, Harvey resisted. As he had never spanked Mike like this before, he wasn't sure of his reaction. Mike for his part looked about five years younger as he rubbed his wet eyes and sniffled sadly, he wasn't looking at Harvey and was again staring at the floor.

Growing concerned when Mike made no attempt to look at him or speak, Harvey made to move towards him but didn't make it very far. The kid suddenly hurled himself at him. At first, and because the wind was knocked out of him Harvey felt dismayed, thinking that Mike wanted to attack him. Before he could open his mouth, Mike had thrown his arms around him and was resting his head on his shoulder, sniffling occasionally. Chuckling, Harvey returned the embrace wholeheartedly.

Mile eventually pulled away and broke into his habitual post punishment pout.

"Your hand is not a normal human hand" he accused.

Harvey snorted as he returned the chair to its original position and pulled his sleeve down, "don't make me use it again then."

"I won't" replied Mike hastily.

"I hope not Mike, I really do" said Harvey honestly, punching Mike playfully on the shoulder.

"Aha! Admit it, go on admit it, you care about me" Mike accused, grinning from ear to ear.

Pushing the kid out of the inner room, and back into his outer office in mock exasperation Harvey replied "you say that again and you're asking for a defamation suit."

"Yeah yeah" Mike taunted rolling his eyes cheekily. Harvey stared at the kid in amusement, not ten minutes ago he'd been upended over his knee having his backside warmed and straight away he was as lippy as ever.

Shaking his head in exaggerated exasperation, "right you, report to archives and get yourself sorted for work to get on with" Harvey instructed.

Clearly the more pressing circumstances of having his ass in the firing line had caused Mike to forget about the non corporal aspect of his punishment, his face fell and he looked at Harvey pleadingly.

"Aw Harvey c'mon please, haven't I suffered enough? You were just kidding about that right?" he pleaded, fixing his mentor with his trademark puppy dog eyes.

"No Mike, I most certainly was not kidding about it. You're married to paperwork and prep work for the considerable future" Harvey replied sternly. He hated imposing this on Mike, having felt firsthand the Pearson-Hardman classic himself many times. Jessica often insisted it was created just for him.

"For how long?" Mike asked dolefully. "C'mon, at least give me an end date, please Harvey."

Knowing the comfort an end date brought, Harvey again fought to harden his resolve. "Mike, no end date. You've bought yourself this for the indefinite future, maybe it will make you think twice before you act. Now, you can either go and report to archives now. Or, we can go back where we just came from and _then_ you can report to archives. Your call kid." Harvey bit back a grin as Mike turned sulkily and made his way towards the 4th floor records office, muttering phrases like "cruel and unusual" and "so unfair." That kid was tough work but he wouldn't change him for the world.

Settling himself down in his comfortable desk chair, Harvey reached for the phone.

Punching a number in he waited patiently for the call to connect.

"Hey Fuller? Harvey Specter. Yeah it's been a long time. Listen, you're associate is Davidson right?"

"Thought so, just a quick heads up. If your guy _ever_ goes after _my_ guy again, he's going to have me to deal with."

Hanging up the phone without a goodbye, Harvey quickly dialled another number.

"Judge Conway, how are you?"

…."Yes Sir, I know he's just like me, sorry about that."


	2. Impulse Control

As Mike let out a frustrated breath and glared at the never ending pile of paperwork that was responsible for keeping him chained to his desk, he looked around the practically empty bullpen wistfully. Nearly every other associate was at court, or in a client conference or doing _something_ vaguely useful.

Not him though, oh no, not him.

Not content with making sure sitting was the most unpleasant and yet the most prolonged thing he had to do on a daily basis, Harvey showed absolutely no signs of relenting and letting him out his paper based dungeon.

As he moodily moved on to his next file, he glanced at his makeshift countdown chart that lay under a pile of briefings. By his calculations, he'd been in paperwork and prepwork lockdown for two weeks and one day now. The longest he'd ever been subjected to the torturous ordeal, by far.

Harvey wouldn't even let him assist on case strategies and point blank refused to discuss new cases with him.

As he leant back in his chair with his eyes closed and scowling heavily at how unfair his life was, the man responsible for bringing such injustice into his orbit suddenly strode into the communal associate area.

Unfortunately for Mike, it looked very much like he was in the midst of a particularly intense nap.

As the irritated looking Harvey loomed over the dividing wall of his young associate's cubicle, he reached over and grabbed a file. Quickly and silently placing himself behind his protégées chair, he smartly rapped the sulking Mike over the head with it.

" _So_ sorry to interrupt your afternoon catnap dear" he growled sarcastically as the young man yelped and looked behind him wildly for the source of his stinging scalp.

"I do hate to disturb you" the irate older man continued, "but foolishly, I was under the impression that this was a place of work and that _you_ were _here_ to engage in such work."

Sighing slightly, Mike nodded his head silently in acceptance of his rebuke and bit his tongue in an effort to prevent himself uttering an ill advised retort and stifled a groan as his boss perched himself on the side of his desk.

Not a flying visit then.

Cutting to the chase in typical Harvey Specter style, the elder man arched an eyebrow at his clearly pouting associate.

"What's your take on the takeover between Hydro and Thermex then?" he asked in a now refreshingly clam tone, referencing a new clients interest in forcibly acquiring their similar rival.

Mike's eyes brightened instantly.

This was the first time in ages Harvey had sought his opinion on a case that wasn't at least five years old in _ages._

Well, in two weeks and one day to be specific. Which was the same thing.

That could only mean that he was finally and mercifully, being freed from his cubicle based prison.

Unfortunately for the young genius, his mentor had seen the sudden light surge in the kid's eyes and shook his head with a mixture of firmness and sadness.

"No Mike, this doesn't mean you're done with this" he said quietly, gesturing to the tottering towers of files that were stacked precariously everywhere, "I'd just like your input on this one."

The brightness instantly faded and the dull, glazed look immediately replaced it.

"I think that the agreement for an external audit is a smokescreen to buy time to spread funds through a variety of offshore accounts, and that it would be a good idea to at least petition for a Mareva injunction" the young man muttered mutinously, turning his head away from the expensively dressed man.

Sighing slightly, Harvey digested this information. He _hadn't_ thought of his associates concern, which made him thankful that he had sought his opinion. He also hated the fact that he had sought his opinion, because it had clearly given the boy false hope.

"Thanks Mike" he said softly, and was slightly chagrined when the lawyer in training merely gave him a stiff jerk of his head in response, whilst continuing to stare resolutely at the wall. He opened his mouth to say...what, he wasn't sure, to try and jerk the boy out his obvious sulk. He was prevented from doing so when he glanced at the clock.

He had only an hour to brief the floating assistant that drifted amongst all the partners on the issue with the potential cover up, before the young woman had to appear in court. He would do it himself, but he had to be in a conference call and she was a fifth year. As much as he hated to admit it as she had trained in part under Louis, she was damned good.

Not Mike good, but very good nonetheless.

"See you later then and back to work" he offered as a parting, and tried to ignore the unusual and uncharacteristic pangs of hurt when Mike didn't even look at him in response and merely dropped his head into the nearest file.

Letting out a weary breath, Harvey made his way briskly in search of his temporary associate whilst simultaneously wishing he had his _real_ associate back. Mike didn't know it, but he had another two weeks of his sentence to serve out before he would be allowed back into the real world, and Harvey didn't know which one of them it would more frustrating for.

These thoughts were pushed from his brain, as he located the young lady and was soon engrossed in trial strategy with her.

Mike felt a reckless anger course through him.

What was he? Some encyclopaedia to be picked up, perused at will and cast down again?

It was all very well for the great Harvey to allow him a peek into the garden when it suited him, and perfectly fine for him to shut the gate in his face when he no longer needed him.

He could be doing anything with his life at this very second.

He could be getting high with Trevor for example, or he could be getting high on his own.

Either way, getting high at the present moment in time seemed quite appealing.

Pushing these thoughts from his mind, Mike strove to get a handle on himself.

This couldn't last forever. Harvey would _have_ to release him eventually.

Glaring down at the page in front of him, he suddenly spied a piece of paper that didn't belong.

Picking it up, he immediately recognised his boss's untidy scrawl. The crumpled paper must have fallen out of his pocket when he perched himself on the edge of his desk.

His untidy scrawl which detailed the schedule and availability of that temping associate he'd seen him with. That irritatingly _talented_ associate.

He instantly saw that the fifth year was to take the pre trial motions that he and his mentor had just discussed.

He glanced at his watch.

In about fifty minute's time, she would be required to be in court. Arguing the motion that _he'd_ effectively saved.

He didn't know if it was pent up frustration, recklessness or pure jealousy that drove him. All he knew was that he was _sick_ of seeing her walk around with Harvey, sit in _his_ spot in Harvey's office and now to top it all off, argue _his_ motion as Harvey's associate.

Standing up and grabbing his suit jacket off the back of his chair, he swept from the bull pen and went in search of the allusive and mentor stealing fifth year. Easily locating her as she was about to hail a cab outside the Pearson-Hardman building, he quickly put his split second plan into motion and marvelled at how easily it worked.

His grandmother _did_ always say he had a trusting face.

Jumping into the cab that he had wrested from the highly aggrieved senior associate, Mike grinned a reckless grin as he was chauffeured gently away.

To court.

Storming back into the building she had just vacated, Lisa Reynolds set off immediately towards the office of Harvey Specter.

Legal superstar or not, it was just plain _rude_ to behave as he had.

And he was going to hear about it.

Careering into glass panelled office just as the startled Harvey was about to punch in the client's number he needed to confer with, she shot him a hard look before launching into her tirade.

"I appreciate sir that Mike is very talented and that you two are…unorthodox at times, but _really_ , I have to insist that if you're going to swap me out with him in the future, a little more than two _minutes_ notice would be good."

Harvey felt himself gaping. What was this woman _talking_ about? He'd just left Mike, and he was exactly where he was supposed to be. Levelling a glare of his own at the flushed and angry looking associate, he tilted his head slightly.

"What are you talking about?" he barked.

Fighting the urge to roll her eyes, the young lawyer stared back resolutely.

"I'm talking about the fact that I'm just about to get a cab to court, when Mike comes running out of the building and tells me you've had a change of heart and that he's in first chair and not only am I _not_ in second chair, I'm not required at _all"_ Lisa huffed.

It never occurred to her in her wildest dreams that the younger associate had been lying through his teeth.

It equally never occurred to the gawping Harvey that Mike would ever _dare_ to do so.

Pulling himself together quickly, the closer plastered his trademark self assured smile across his face.

No need for the whole world to know he apparently couldn't control his own damned associate.

"There seems to have been some mix up Lisa, I think I may have confused Mike. I apologise, why don't you go on and see if you're needed in bankruptcy instead ok."

He watched silently as she gave a slightly haughty toss of her head and strode out of his office.

Collapsing into his chair as a staggering bout of weariness came over him; he heard the office door open and knew that Donna would be just as stunned as he was.

"He didn't Harvey…please tell me Lisa's mistaken and he _didn't"_ she all but whispered, her protective instincts for Mike kicking into overdrive as she studied the infuriated stance of the man in front of her

Grinding his teeth as rage washed over him, Harvey gave a stiff jerk of his head.

"Get me Mike on his cell, Donna" he instructed tersely.

Instinctively thinking about what flowers would best represent Mike's short life at his funeral, Donna shook her head sadly.

"I already tried, it's turned off" she informed him quietly.

Growling, Harvey leapt from his office chair and grabbed his suit jacket and made to storm from his office.

"Where are you going?" Donna squeaked in intense alarm. The man looked positively murderous.

Harvey paused for just a millisecond, to throw an answer over his shoulder.

"To skin him alive" he muttered grimly, anger dripping from every syllable.

Donna stood stock still as the glass trembled from the force of the door being yanked viciously open.

"Rest in Peace, Michael James Ross" she murmured to herself sadly, making her way back to the safety and tranquillity of her cubicle.

….

TBC


	3. Damn Skinny Ties

Ignoring the filthy look the irate court clerk shot at him, Harvey swept into the courtroom that was clearly in the midst of a full session. Easily spotting the tousled hair of his rebelling associate, he gritted his teeth as he threw himself down in the public seating area.

Mike was giving his closing arguments, and as furious as Harvey was, he begrudgingly had to admit he was doing a damn fine job of it.

Leaning back in his perch, and sighing, he waited with varying degrees of impatience and patience for the hearing to come to a close.

He didn't have to wait too long.

Deciding in Mike's favour, the ancient judge sleepily made his way off the bench effectively bringing the gathering to a close.

Harvey's eyes narrowed dangerously as he watched Ross do his little post victory happy dance, and eagerly gather up his papers and stuff them into his messenger bag.

Standing, and suddenly feeling a lot older then he actually was, the elder lawyer quietly approached the plaintiff's table.

Leaning over the separating banister, he was about an inch from Mike's head, before he spoke softly.

"Quite the show kid."

Had the situation been infinitesimally less serious, he would have snorted at the startled and horrified jump his associate immediately gave.

Turning slowly, the young man grimaced as he took in the steely expression on his mentor's face.

Groaning, he immediately realised how stupid he'd been. In an instant, his recklessness hit him in the face.

Harvey was going to _kill_ him.

Right on que, the elder man opened his mouth and shot a stern glare at his protégée.

"Car. Outside. Move it, _now."_

Gulping, Mike nodded and trotted miserably after the older man as he swept from the court at a swift gate.

Clambering into the car, he wasn't surprised to see Ray shoot him a discreetly sympathetic look.

The ride back to the office was conducted in a stony silence, with Mike's one attempt to engage his irate boss in conversation having been immediately, and vehemently, shot down.

Slumping against the window, the young would-be lawyer cursed himself over and over again.

How could he be a genius, and a complete and utter moron at the same time?

Shooting a furtive look at Harvey, he saw with chagrin that the elder man was still staring out the window in obvious anger.

Resigning himself, Mike closed his eyes and sent wishes to whatever god that could hear him that his demise would come about as quickly as possible.

When the car pulled upside the office, Mike scampered out after Harvey as he immediately leapt from the limo, and trotted reluctantly behind him all the way up to the elder man's office.

He wasn't surprised when his boss took him by the upper arm the minute they entered the glass panelled office, and firmly, but to his relief, calmly led him to the all too familiar secretarial office branching off his own.

He grimaced briefly as he realised, as he was bring forcibly led into the dreaded room, that Donna wasn't at her desk.

Donna was always at her desk at this time.

Therefore she must have known how idiotic he'd been, and had discreetly, in typical Donna style, decided to give them space.

Opening his mouth to try and apologise, he winced when Harvey immediately held up a silencing hand.

"Corner" the older lawyer merely said, with a ringing authority in his voice that in itself let Mike know how annoyed he was.

That, and the fact that he was going to make him stand in the corner like a tantrum throwing child.

Feeling the flush cross his face, Mike looked at Harvey with pleading eyes.

It wasn't often that the elder man made him stand in the dreaded position like a recalcitrant toddler, as they both knew how much the younger man positively despised it.

"Now, Mike."

Sighing, but recognising that he hadn't exactly acted with the most _adult_ of behaviours, the young lawyer reluctantly turned and shuffled into the allocated position.

Seemingly satisfied that the kid was going to as he was told, for _once,_ Harvey threw himself down in the nearest chair and dropped his head into his hands, barely stifling a groan.

This genius was putting years on him.

Looking up at the slumped and fidgeting position of his protégée, he reluctantly smiled a small smile.

He was rapidly calming down, realising that whilst Mike was out of line, he was still an impulsive rookie, and he had to bear that in mind.

Minutes trickled by, and with every second passing, Harvey was returning to his normal controlled self.

Coming to the decision that he was completely calm, and capable of being fair with his maddening, but loveable charge, he opened his mouth.

"Come here, Mike" he instructed, in a much more gentle tone than he had originally been using with the abashed looking boy.

The younger man obediently shuffled out of his corner based perch, and crossed the room to stand in front of his now much calmer looking mentor.

Crossing his arms and looking up at his mini-me, Harvey sighed.

This was the part of sculpting and caring for Mike that he _despised._

He had never believed his own father when he had told him that disciplining a kid was as tough for the parent as it was for their offspring, now however, looking up at the dejected face looking back at him, he had to admit the old man had been right.

"Want to tell me just what on earth were you thinking?"

The simple question hung in the air and Mike blinked as he attempted to digest it.

Staring down at the floor, he racked his brains for a suitable answer that was both truthful and wasn't _"I just felt like it."_

Flushing, he realised there _was_ no other answer.

"I…uhh, well…"

The arched and knowing eyebrow that was levelled him forced him to be a little more informative.

"I…was uhm, I guess you could say…erm, sulking…"

Harvey fought hard to bite back the chuckle that threatened to escape him in response.

"I guess you could" he agreed sternly, schooling his features to match his tone.

It was damn hard when the kid looked as if he had just bid adieu to a long living childhood rabbit.

"I'm sorry Harvey" Mike blurted out, fixing the older man with beseeching eyes that always cut through the tough Specter exterior.

Nodding, the elder lawyer had no trouble believing that the boy _was_ sorry, but still…the whole debacle should never have happened in the first place.

"Mike" he began sternly, and the young man winced knowing this was the beginning of the inevitable scolding.

"You do _not_ get to throw your toys out of the pram like this. You know _exactly_ why you were on desk duty, you know _exactly_ why you _deserved_ to be on desk duty. Get this through your head, you don't always have to like what I tell you to do, but you _do_ have to do it. Understood?"

Morose puppy eyes looked at him sadly, as the light brown head bobbed up and down.

"Understood" Mike murmured quietly, beginning to squirm where he stood.

Sighing, Harvey ran appraising eyes over his protégée.

He correctly surmised that the young man felt guilty enough, and it wouldn't take much from him to get him to completely realise the error of his ways.

"You will apologise to Lisa the moment you see her. I told her there was a miscommunication, and you will quite clearly tell her you made a _foolish_ mistake and apologise for any inconvenience. Clear?"

Flushing, Mike nodded.

The next words that came out of Harvey's mouth made him flush even further.

"You were jealous of her, weren't you Mike?"

Groaning, the young genius felt the temperature of his facial features sky rocket.

Harvey was going to think he was such a loser.

Looking up uncertainly, he was surprised to see that instead of a scathing look on the man's face, he wore a….was it a _fond_ expression?

He nodded his head slowly, knowing that there was no point in denying it or lying.

He felt himself gape slightly as Harvey smiled warmly up at him.

"Mike. Listen to me. Lisa's good…she's great even…but she's not you. Ok?"

The simple sentence meant more than a million words to the younger man, and he broke out into his trademark grin and bobbed his head up and down happily.

This time Harvey _did_ roll his eyes.

Which just made the kid grin even further.

Sighing, Harvey forced himself to return to his earlier state of firmness.

"Alright kid, let's get this over and done with."

The grin instantly fell off of Mike's face and the usual puppy eyes immediately came out in force.

"Don't, Mike" Harvey instructed wearily, "you've got this coming, and you know it."

Gulping as he realised how true this statement was, the younger lawyer nodded glumly.

Pushing himself further back in the armless chair, Harvey pointed to a spot on the ground right beside him.

"Come here."

Knowing _exactly_ where this was going, Mike shook his head furiously and flushed even further.

"Harvey" he whined, not caring how high pitched he sounded "no…come on, not like that… _please."_

Sighing, the mentor stared the mentee down with the sternest of stern glares.

Quailing under the oppressive gaze, Mike let out a disgruntled groan but obediently shuffled closer to his seated boss.

"Pants down."

Shooting the elder man a look of complete misery, Mike sighed when he realised it was getting him nowhere, and sadly unbuckled his belt and let his slacks pool down to his knees.

Quickly reaching out, Harvey took a firm hold of the kid's wrist.

As he gently pulled his protégée over his knee and wrapped a firm hand around his waist, he groaned inwardly.

Fighting with himself, he quickly pulled Mike's shorts down to meet his slacks, and magnanimously pretended to be deaf as the muttered "oh come _on_ " wafted upwards.

"Why are you getting this, Mike?" he asked sternly, the lawyer in him not wanting there to be any ambiguity as to the reasons surrounding the current situation.

The answer was muffled due to the proximity of the boy's head to the floor, but the mentor's keen ears caught it anyway.

"Because I acted like an idiot?"

Grinning with pride, Harvey nodded to himself.

"Atta boy Mike" he praised gently, "now, try to keep still so we can get this over with, ok?"

The nodding of the tousled head answered him, and he reluctantly drew his arm back.

The first swat seemed to echo in the small room, intermixed with the usual surprised yelp from its recipient.

Gritting his teeth in distaste, Harvey set about spanking the kid in earnest.

The swats were brisk, even and precise and the backside under the elder man's seasoned hand was quickly turning from pale to a dusty pink.

Harvey didn't scold as he spanked, allowing his broad hand to do the talking for him.

Mike fought to remain silent and stoic, but as the hand came down over and over again without reprieve, his resolve was quickly diminishing.

Though it wasn't as bad pain wise as getting the paddle, being over Harvey's knee always made him cry much quicker, and as a particularly searing swat caught him on the upper curve of his thigh he let out a strangled yelp and tears sprang up in his eyes.

The spanking continued without pause, as Harvey determined to teach the kid a lesson with enough a degree of depth that he wouldn't need a refresher.

The backside was now taking on a crimson hue, and Mike was openly sobbing and squirming across his knee.

Tightening his hold on his wriggling protégée, Harvey forced himself to continue dishing out the well earned punishment, making sure that he spanked the glowing posterior with an equal distribution.

Tipping the crying genius forwards gently, he closed his eyes briefly as he brought his hand down on the already reddened sit spots.

The answering yelping and whimpering tore at his heart, as it always did.

With the next volley of stinging swats, Mike's torso went limp across his knee.

Sighing in relief, Harvey began to wind down the spanking, knowing that the kid had nearly had enough.

Landing slightly softer swats across the ruby red rear end, he grimaced when the sobbing morphed into a contrite weeping.

The boy had had enough.

Dishing out two or three more perfunctory swats, he gratefully brought the punishment to a close.

He began to rub the traditional circles on the younger man's back, murmuring soft words of forgiveness all the while.

The protégée made no attempt to raise himself, and continued to weep softly across his mentor's knee.

Eventually, the tears had dried up and only a few sad sniffles escaped the kid.

Taking this as his que, Harvey gently lifted the young lawyer up off of his knee, and set him carefully on his feet.

Tucking the chair he had been seated on under the table with a great degree of concentration to give Mike space to right his clothing, he winced when the whimper let him know the slacks had been returned to their previous position.

Turning to his mini-me, he, as usual, gulped on the guilt he felt as he took in the red rimmed eyes and the flushed face.

"You ok buddy?" he asked gently, looking searchingly at the younger man.

He didn't have long to look.

Mike remained silent for a moment, before launching himself forward, barrelling himself into Harvey's torso and burying his face into his shoulder.

Chuckling in relief, the elder lawyer quickly wrapped broad and strong arms around the slight frame, and pulled the boy close to him.

"I take that as a yes?" he teased quietly, looking fondly down at the clinging rookie.

Breaking away, Mike nodded sheepishly.

"I'm ok" he affirmed, with the beginnings of his usual roguish grin playing around his lips.

Nodding thoughtfully, Harvey studied him closely.

"You understand why you were punished?"

The sincere nodding of the head left him in no doubt that the young man understood.

"Won't happen again Harvey."

Grinning, the elder man reached out and ruffled the short hair affectionately.

"Good. Now, go and grab your stuff. You're coming back to my place for dinner."

Beaming at the invitation, but suddenly feeling uncertain, Mike shuffled somewhat…

"Uhh…are you sure? You don't have to…"

Feigning a glare, Harvey looked pointedly at the young man.

"Did I _not_ just knock some sense into the butt of yours? Do I _really_ need to try again?"

Baulking, Mike shook his head furiously and scrambled to retrieve his messenger bag to the soundtrack of Harvey's gentle laughing.

"Uhh…Harvey?"

Noting the hesitation in the voice, the elder lawyer was instantly on the alert.

"Yeah kid?"

Looking up beseechingly, Mike's eye's held the familiar pools of pleading, but Harvey was nonplussed as to what they were about.

"Mike?"

"Are you…uhh, are you… making me start the desk duty all over again?"

A brief silence ensued as the question hung in the air.

Looking down at the earnest and still bleary eyed kid, Harvey came to his decision and smiled fondly down at him.

"No, I think you've been punished enough. You're back with me, as of tomorrow."

Gawping, Mike looked at him wonderingly.

"Really? Was I close to finishing anyway?"

He cursed himself once more as he realised he had probably just had his backside thoroughly warmed for absolutely _nothing_.

Chuckling, Harvey held the door open for the young man to exit the long forgotten office.

"Nope. You had two weeks left."

Mike stopped in his tracks, half in the outdated and disused secretarial office, and half in the modern, thoroughly used legal office.

"Since _when_ do you let me off _anything_ early?"

Rolling his eyes, Harvey gently propelled the kid forwards and laughed.

"Since I missed your damn skinny ties around the place, ok?"

….

TBC

…

A/N: I know I've been remiss in updating this one! But, in getting pumped for the return of the rest of reason five and seeing the hilarious clip where Harvey gives Mike to Louis, I got back into it.

Hope you enjoyed, I'm thinking about doing a storyline where Mike has to basically choose between Trevor and Harvey. Thoughts?

Thanks for reading!


End file.
